While i was in Arkansas, my Redington Sonic waders sprung a leak in the left foot ..... where the bootie ties into the wader and the elastic. This happened on day 1, so i had to buy another pair of waders, and unfortunately buy it at the Orvis shop in Heber Springs. I anticipated a really high price, but found their price to match the internet price, so I purchased a pair of Simms Freestone waders. The demo model looked great so I tried a pair, liked them and headed back to the hotel. Upon unpacking the box, I discovered that there wasn't an zippered pouch included. There was a zipper to tie into, just no pouch. Thinking this was an oversite, I headed back to the fly shop only to be informed that, 'no they don't come with a pouch/pocket'.

I bit miffed for not getting a pocket (assumption on my part) and for not knowing there wasn't a pocket included (every other pair I have ever purchased had some sort of pocket), i made a mental note to contact Simms when I returned home.

I finally took the time to write a nice note to their customer service dept, saying I was pleased with the waders but not happy about not getting a pocket/pouch, stating I would have purchased the Orvis waders (similar price) as it did have a pocket. Told them to just please relay that to their sales/engineering teams.

I got a nice email back from their customer service rep Kailey and she is sending me a zip pocket for the waders. even asked if I wanted the tippet holder pouch or the waterproof pouch.

I did not expect a free pouch, but Simms exceeded my expectations by doing so. How many companies (other than Echo) do stuff like that?

Glad to know that you had this positive experience with Simms. I think your experience is due to the fact that Simms is still a reasonable sized company. That positive experience might not be the case should they get bought out by some big corporate conglomerate. I wonder how all the Cabela's stores will do now that they have been purchased by BPS.

Simms may be a class act, but they are also an expensive act. I am a rather short and stocky, vertically challenged kind of guy. Nothing ever fits. I can never reach items off the top shelf at a store etc. The world was not made for people like me. Anyway, I contacted Simms about having a pair of waist high custom made waders, or a pair of their standard made waders, just shortened. They said they could only make them from their most expensive $500 set of waders. Then, it would cost $300 extra to make them. So, it would cost $800 for a pair of waist high waders. I am not necessarily cheap, but I just can't justify $800 for waders. I have some nice hand made bamboo fly rods I paid less for. Anyway, I finally found a pair of Frogg Trogg waist high waders for $99. They are not the best fit in the world, but they ain't bad. I can use that extra $700 for something a little more necessary.Joe

Simms may be a class act, but they are also an expensive act. I am a rather short and stocky, vertically challenged kind of guy. Nothing ever fits. I can never reach items off the top shelf at a store etc. The world was not made for people like me. Anyway, I contacted Simms about having a pair of waist high custom made waders, or a pair of their standard made waders, just shortened. They said they could only make them from their most expensive $500 set of waders. Then, it would cost $300 extra to make them. So, it would cost $800 for a pair of waist high waders. I am not necessarily cheap, but I just can't justify $800 for waders. I have some nice hand made bamboo fly rods I paid less for. Anyway, I finally found a pair of Frogg Trogg waist high waders for $99. They are not the best fit in the world, but they ain't bad. I can use that extra $700 for something a little more necessary.Joe

When you can do something no one else does, you can charge whatever you want. You know how expensive custom clothing is?

Simms may be a class act, but they are also an expensive act. I am a rather short and stocky, vertically challenged kind of guy. Nothing ever fits. I can never reach items off the top shelf at a store etc. The world was not made for people like me. Anyway, I contacted Simms about having a pair of waist high custom made waders, or a pair of their standard made waders, just shortened. They said they could only make them from their most expensive $500 set of waders. Then, it would cost $300 extra to make them. So, it would cost $800 for a pair of waist high waders. I am not necessarily cheap, but I just can't justify $800 for waders. I have some nice hand made bamboo fly rods I paid less for. Anyway, I finally found a pair of Frogg Trogg waist high waders for $99. They are not the best fit in the world, but they ain't bad. I can use that extra $700 for something a little more necessary.Joe

When you can do something no one else does, you can charge whatever you want. You know how expensive custom clothing is?

Yeah, especially when it is something custom done by someone like Simms who are set up for doing production runs. It has to be worth their while to retool for a one off pair of waders. If it weren't they would essentially be losing money compared to if they kept everything flowing normally.

My advice to anyone starting out Trout fishing is to spend your money on good pair of wading boots, and spend less on waders.

Sore or damaged feet will ruin a good day of fishing every time. Most of your fishing in the Driftless Area will involve walking the banks of small streams. You'll spend very little time up to your waist in water. Hip waders are usually more than adequate for stream crossings and to protect your legs from weeds and nettles. There are plenty of inexpensive hip wader options out there for less than $100. Mate em to a good set of boots and they should meet most, if not all of your needs.

$800 waders and $1200 fly rods may make you feel good, but they won't help you catch you more fish. Take a fraction of that money and spend it on day with an experienced guide. You'll get much more from that experience than any expensive piece of gear will ever provide.

And one more thing... despite their claims, nobody makes waders that are "breathable." They all are uncomfortable as sin in warm weather and you are just about guaranteed to rip yours on a fence barb or sharp corner sooner or later. I replace mine every year and keep last year's waders in the trunk as backup. A little tube of Aquaseal is always a good thing to keep on hand also.

Just my opinion. Your mileage may vary.

-Bill

“You'll never look back on your life and wish you had spent more time in the office." -- Brian Trautman, Captain SV Delos

My advice to anyone starting out Trout fishing is to spend your money on good pair of wading boots, and spend less on waders.

Sore or damaged feet will ruin a good day of fishing every time. Most of your fishing in the Driftless Area will involve walking the banks of small streams. You'll spend very little time up to your waist in water. Hip waders are usually more than adequate for stream crossings and to protect your legs from weeds and nettles. There are plenty of inexpensive hip wader options out there for less than $100. Mate em to a good set of boots and they should meet most, if not all of your needs.

$800 waders and $1200 fly rods may make you feel good, but they won't help you catch you more fish. Take a fraction of that money and spend it on day with an experienced guide. You'll get much more from that experience than any expensive piece of gear will ever provide.

And one more thing... despite their claims, nobody makes waders that are "breathable." They all are uncomfortable as sin in warm weather and you are just about guaranteed to rip yours on a fence barb or sharp corner sooner or later. I replace mine every year and keep last year's waders in the trunk as backup. A little tube of Aquaseal is always a good thing to keep on hand also.

Just my opinion. Your mileage may vary.

-Bill

This guy has it figured out. Want to end a trip real fast? Blow your feet. Ill fitting and/or poorly made boots are the absolute worst.

This guy has it figured out. Want to end a trip real fast? Blow your feet. Ill fitting and/or poorly made boots are the absolute worst.

Hard earned lessons for sure.

A few years back I stepped into a coyote hole and went right up to my thigh. Twisted my foot around pretty good. I felt like that stiff Simms boots might have spared me a broken ankle that day. I shudder just thinking about how I would've ever made it back to my car that day if things had gone differently.

-Bill

“You'll never look back on your life and wish you had spent more time in the office." -- Brian Trautman, Captain SV Delos

To the posters who are defending Simms I just have to say the following: The fact that Simms "has to retool for one pair of waders," or "you know how expensive custom clothing is?," is not my (nor the consumer's) problem. I hate it when a company tries to make their problem my problem. Simms briefly explained in an e-mail to me all that is encountered in making a shortened pair of waders. That is their problem and they were trying to put it on me. All they had to say was that they don't make custom waders. We all know the reason they priced them at $800 was to discourage me from ordering them. Well, it worked. I once worked part time for a gun shop owner who always said that "you can't give too much away." If a customer ordered a gun from an out of state dealer, he would accept the gun for the customer for no charge. The result, those customers came back and bought more and spent more than they ever would have before. A little good will goes a long way. Had Simms accepted my order for a reasonable price, I would have bought more Simms products. Now, I will never buy anything made by them, nor will my fishing friends. A little good will goes a long way.

You guys use the term "ill fitting" as if it is a small problem easily solved or avoided. I'm going to assume that you all are somewhere between 5'10" and 6'4". And you wear at least a size 10 shoe. See, you have no problem in finding things to fit. If something is "ill fitting," just move on to something that fits better or even perfectly, and right off the shelf. I have had to deal with and most of the time accept and use "ill fitting" products or just do without all of my life. You never get used to it, you just accept it. I hate clothes and shoes shopping as nothing ever fits properly. Everything has to be altered or adapted in some way for me to be able to use it. All of my outdoor boots are two sizes too big so I have to put in insoles and wear several pairs of socks. Shirt sleeves and pant legs are always too long and have to be altered. With shirt sleeves, I just roll them up as it is too expensive to have them altered. My shotguns have the length of pull shortened to the point where their value is severely diminished if I were to try to resell them. You guys of "normal" size should feel blessed. I am not suggesting that Simms should give anything away, but to say they are a "class act" is just wrong. Rant over.Joe

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